One health approach to toxocariasis in quilombola communities of southern Brazil

Parasites & Vectors

Research

Leandro Meneguelli Biondo¹  Vamilton Alvares Santarém²  Isabella Braghin Ferreira²  Roberto Teixeira de Souza Filho²  Rogério Giuffrida²  Louise Bach Kmetiuk³  Fernando Rodrigo Doline³  João Henrique Farinhas³  Alexander Welker Biondo³  Giovani Marino Fávero⁴  Orlei José Domingues⁴  Giovanni Kalempa Panazzolo⁴  Susana Angélica Zevallos Lescano⁵ 

[1] Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, National Institute of the Atlantic Forest (INMA), Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo, Brazil;Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada;Graduate College of Animal Science, University of Western São Paulo, Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil;Graduate College of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil;Graduate College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil;Institute of Tropical Medicine of São Paulo, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil;

关键词: Epidemiology;    Poverty;    Quilombo;    Seroprevalence;    Toxocara;    Zoonosis;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13071-023-06010-w

 received in 2023-06-28, accepted in 2023-10-10,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundToxocariasis has been listed among the most neglected parasitic diseases worldwide, with approximately one fifth of the global population exposed, particularly those living under poverty. In Brazil, communities of descendants of enslaved blacks (quilombola) have historically had some of the highest rates of vulnerability and poverty, characterized by lack of health assistance, poor quality of life, and nutritional insecurity.MethodsA cross-sectional sampling of quilombola individuals living in four communities of southern Brazil, as well as their dogs and the soil, was carried out from December 2021 to March 2022. Sociodemographic and other information such as water source, alimentary habits, and dog and cat ownership were gathered using a semi-structured questionnaire for assessing toxocariasis risk factors. Human serum samples were tested by ELISA for anti-Toxocara spp. IgG antibody detection was carried out on dog feces and hair, and soil samples were surveyed for presence of Toxocara spp. eggs.ResultsOverall, 172/208 individuals (82.7%, 95% CI = 77.0–87.2) were seropositive, the highest seroprevalence rate to date in Brazil. Male gender (P = 0.029), educational level (P = 0.026), and drinking water source (P = 0.043) were associated with seropositivity by univariate analysis. Final logistic regression revealed increased odds (P = 0.017, OR = 7.6, 95% CI = 1.5–42.7) to have seropositivity in individuals > 50 years old (< 10 years old). As expected, individuals with soil contact were more likely seropositive (P = 0.038, OR = 4.4, 95% CI = 1.1–18.8). Although retrieved in only 5/96 (5.2%) dog feces, Toxocara spp. eggs were found in 18/60 (30.0%) soil samples.ConclusionsThe high vulnerability and seroprevalence observed in quilombola communities clearly demand a One Health approach for detection, monitoring, and prevention of infection by Toxocara spp. in both human and dog populations.Graphical Abstract

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2023

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